Darkness Rising (Pokemon Ranger-Shadows of Almia)
by RainiiChan
Summary: Kate Lovett, a 13 year old girl, chooses to pursue her goal to become a Pokemon Ranger, dedicated to helping people and Pokemon alike as she travels through her own journey! Join her in Missions, Quests, Captures, and conflicting relationships as she matures and gains knowledge about the world around her. Darkrai image creds-MooFrog44 on dA, I photoshopped Kate into it.
1. Ch 1-First Capture, First Everything

**Hey guys! Rainii here, and this is my take on this Ranger game. (: I'm really new to ...so I'm still trying to figure out the processes and stuff xD but I'll learn! Like Kate. ;D I hope you guys like my version of this story (: **

**I'm trying to keep this as directly the same as the game as possible. As in...much of the dialogue is the same. I tweak it, though, to make sure that it makes sense and that the story flows. ^^; This is original material, though, and I hope you guys will like that. 3 Don't worry, this is definitely my spinoff and it'll expand into something of its own given the time.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor the characters. The last name Lovett was also taken from another author who wrote about this game . so I'm crediting her~ Don't remember her username though. ;A; The personalities, however, and all other last names are mine. (:  
**

**Thank you, and please enjoy~**

**~Rainii**

* * *

Kate's heart began to race as she locked eyes with the Pikachu standing a short distance away from her. This was it; it was her first capture. Can she do it? Can-

There was no time to think, for it had already begun.

Impulsively, Kate drew the unfamiliar "styler", slightly awed and anxious. Just then, an unfamiliar voice sounded, "Draw loops around Pikachu and capture it!" The girl gritted her teeth, then began to obey and draw loops around the Pokemon.

"_It's okay, Pikachu…I'm nervous too! We'll do this together, okay?_ Kate thought to the Pokemon as she continued to convey her friendship to it.

In the beginning, her Capture Line wobbled and was a bit haywire, but Kate quickly seized control and, with a burst of sudden confidence, drew her loops faster and faster until suddenly there was a "POP!" sound. A pink orb of light surrounded the Pikachu as it was captured, and when it faded away Kate was relieved to see that the yellow Pokemon appeared much calmer.

The voice came again, this time congratulating Kate on her work, "Okay, good going. That's pretty impressive."

Kate looked around, and the Pikachu suddenly ran around her and stopped next to a man in his middle years, with a blue outfit and jeans. _That must've been the source of the voice, _Kate realized. As she turned to face him, he laughed, and started to introduce himself.

"My name, it is Kaplan. You are now a member of our secret army, the inscrutable Team School. As proof of your membership, you are conferred the School Styler you just used. Together, we shall rule the world…"

Kate's expression turned to one of puzzlement. "Wait, what?! I thought I was here to learn how to become a Ranger! Isn't this Ranger School…?" _Plus, wasn't I supposed to meet my cousin, Kellyn, here? _she was now totally confused.

Just then, there was a sound of a door being opened. Another voice, this time a woman's, interrupted the man known as Kaplan, "Oh please, Mr. Kaplan!" she sounded both exasperated and amused.

Kate turned around to see who she was. The woman was of middle stature, had shoulder-length brown hair and a green outfit accompanied by a white skirt. She looked stern, yet kind. Just as the girl was looking up to the woman with awe, the woman said, "Please don't tease my student with a silly performance like that!" her lips were set in a small frown, but her eyes softened at the sight of Kate.

Mr. Kaplan shrugged sheepishly, and laughed. "Ahahaha, sorry, sorry. The timing was just too perfect to miss." Turning to Kate, he grinned and cleared his throat before declaring, "Congratulations! You have passed the Ranger School's entrance exam with flying colors!" Kate blushed slightly as he added, "That really was quite an impressive capture."

The woman turned to face Kate with a small smile. "Congratulations! You've been accepted. Starting today, you are officially a student of the Ranger School."

Not knowing her name, Kate simply nodded at her with a small smile. _I'm accepted! That means there's only a small while before I can see Kellyn again!_

"I'm Ms. April. I'm your class's teacher. I'm pleased to meet you." Ms. April introduced herself, before clearing her throat and getting down to business, "Your classmates are waiting for you. I'll show you to our class."

Kate barely had time to nod before Ms. April briskly turned and walked to the door with a clickety-clack in her heels. She quickly followed, running to catch up.

Before they left, Mr. Kaplan called out to her, "Enjoy your school life!"

Kate smiled as she followed after Ms. April. _I hope I will too!_

Kate waited patiently outside the door. However, her curiosity couldn't suppress itself and Kate quickly found herself eavesdropping on the class to hear what they have to say. It was a bit muffled through the door but she could still make out what they were saying.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, class. And good morning, everyone!" it was Ms. April, talking to her class.

The class responded eagerly. "Good morning!" Kate felt a little flutter in her chest, and hoped mildly that they would be this welcoming to her also.

Then, Ms. April delved further into the topic that was of interest to Kate—herself. It wasn't conceit or anything…the girl was just slightly nervous of what the class expects of her, that's all. "As I mentioned yesterday, we have a new member for our class."

Kate could hear muffled gasps through the door, and then the kids all erupted into excited chatter. A male voice asked, "Is it a guy? Or a girl? Which is it?"

"Is the new student cute? Cool? Or look like a celebrity?" a girl wondered aloud. Kate felt slightly crestfallen at that. She wasn't cool, and she wasn't a celebrity either. But…that's okay, right? Hopefully the class would still like her.

"Okay, that's enough! You can see for yourself." Ms. April ordered, and the class quieted immediately. Kate felt her heart rise into the throat at the teacher's next words: "Here's our latest classmate! Come on in!"

Kate gulped nervously, but kept her chin up and tried to walk in as calmly as possible. She ended up running anyways, though, since she felt quite uncomfortable walking in between all the desks. Her heart felt like it beat faster than if she just ran a mile as she swept her gaze anxiously over her new classmates.

Luckily, Ms. April did half the talking for Kate. "Our new friend came alone to our Almia region to become a Pokemon Ranger." Turning to Kate, she stopped and smiled slightly. "Oh, yes. You should introduce yourself to our class rather than me. Let's start with your name."

Kate cleared her throat nervously, before speaking to the class, "My name is Kate Lovett, and I'm really glad to be here!" There were a few murmurs here and there, but nobody spoke aloud.

Ms. April turned back to the class and continued, "Okay, our new friend is named Kate. Let's make her feel welcome. I understand that she scored quite well on our entrance exam. …What is it, Keith? Why the big grin?" her tone had turned a bit impatient.

Kate turned to where the class was gazing, at a red-haired boy about her age was sitting, grinning widely at her. Kate returned the smile shyly, unsure of what to do. His grin stayed, which made Kate nervous, and as she blushed slightly his grin only turned wider.

Rolling her eyes in an exasperated manner, Ms. April turned back to Kate and said, "Anyway, we had better get you seated somewhere, Kate. You can have the seat next to Keith.

Kate mentally sweatdropped. What was she going to say to him? Why was he grinning at her? Was he a nice person? All these question ran through her head as she ran over and sat down next to him. Avoiding his gaze, she looked up at Ms. April and waited for her next instructions.

"Okay, that will do. That's it for treating you like a new transfer student. From now on, you're all my students, people whom I can take pride in teaching."

Kate nodded. Ms. April was right about that. Plus, it would be nerve-wracking to be treated unequally among all her peers, wouldn't it?

Stepping forward, the teacher grinned and said, "Let's do it, everyone…Let's not fail your dreams of becoming Rangers, Operators, and Mechanics!"

Stirred up by the encouragement, all the students' eyes shone brightly with excitement as they cheered in unison, Kate cheering along with them. Her slightly calmed down heart started to beat fast again, only this time with anticipation. Keith cheered the loudest, and Kate was aware of it, until she realized that he was doing it on purpose next to her ear. Fighting back a smile, Kate nudged the boy slightly away from her. It only earned her another grin, but she turned back to the front.

"Okay, I'll change the class schedule specially for today. This will be a free-study class. But before I go, Kate, I need to explain something to you."

Kate perked up, wondering what Ms. April had to say to her. It was probably important though, so she listened intently.

"It's about the School Styler you were provided before the entrance exam." Ms. April explained, before continuing, "It's a simplified version of a Ranger's official Capture Styler. Now, put simply, a Styler is a device used for befriending and capturing drawing loops around Pokemon, it conveys the Ranger's feelings of friendship to the Pokemon. When the Ranger's friendship is fully conveyed, the Pokemon is captured."

Kate stood up and nodded, as if showing that she understood. It was quite a bit of information, but Kate was sure that she would learn it all in due time.

Ms. April turned back to the class and frowned at the lack of attention from them. "Everyone, you should all be paying attention to this as a review." The students yawned, but paid attention to her. "Touch this button on your Styler to open the menu," Ms. April instructed, "The upper screen shows your status and your Styler Level. On the lower screen, the Styler menu is displayed. The Styler menu has many convenient features that you can access. You should try them out and see for yourself."

Kate nodded some more, looking at the School Styler in her hands. She already felt a certain attraction to it, and she was convinced that it would be even more familiar to her when she learned all about its uses.

Ms. April frowned some more, but it wasn't at Kate—rather, it was at the boy next to her. "Oh, please, Keith. Don't yawn with your mouth wide open like that."

It was true; Keith was in the middle of a yawn that was the equivalent of a drowsy tiger. He made exaggerated sounds as he gradually closed his mouth, smacking his lips together for extra effect. Ms. April was now glowering, but Kate stifled a giggle before turning back around.

Turning attention back to Kate, Ms. April sighed before continuing along, "Next, this button is the Change Screen button for switching what's shown. You can switch between the Map Mode and the Friend Pokemon Mode. They're both convenient, so you should set the mode to whichever one you use most."

The teacher appeared as if she was about to finish, but then her eyes lit up. "Oh, yes. There's something quite important. As a student of the Ranger School, you may have up to three Pokemon with you. If you capture a fourth Pokemon, you'll have to release one of them. By release, I mean you'll have to let it go. It's good-bye to that Pokemon. If there's anything you don't understand, look it up or ask someone." Ms. April looked up at the class, and then back at Kate. "Actually, that turned into quite a lesson. Are you a little overwhelmed?"

Kate nodded slightly with a sheepish smile. "Yes, because I'm still unfamiliar with all this. I'll do my best, though!"

The teacher smiled approvingly, and she answered, "Really you should just try things out and see how they work for yourself. After all, nothing beats experience. It's all about trying."

Turning around, Ms. April beckoned to a blonde girl with blue eyes, also about Kate's age. "Rhythmi, can I get you to show Kate around the School, please?"

The blonde girl nodded enthusiastically, and flashed a grin so white Kate thought it was a little dazzling. "I sure will!" the girl chirped.

"I'll be in the Staff Room. I'll leave you to it, then." Ms. April smiled at Rhythmi before turning and clicking out of the room with her heels. Kate watched her leave, before all of a sudden the class swarmed up to her like a cloud of Combee.

Keith, her desk neighbor, spoke first, "Hey, new kid, I forgot your name, but how long did it take you to capture Pikachu? Like an hour?" he smirked, as if it was all a joke, but Kate didn't really get it.

"Well, I had a bit of trouble in the beginning…" Kate answered, "But I think it was no more than a minute or two." Her facial expression was so complete and honest that everyone laughed, while Keith just looked puzzled.

Rhythmi, the blonde girl who was supposed to serve as Kate's guide, patted Kate on the back before remarking, "Keith's just a show-off. You're better off ignoring him."

Living up to her advice, she ignored Keith's indignant outburst of "Hey!". Continuing, Rhythmi said, "Instead, you should be paying attention to me. I'm not here to become a Ranger. I want to become an Operator instead. So, when Keith becomes a Ranger, I can order him around like my servant!"

Once again, she ignored Keith's fierce scowl. Rhythmi giggled, before ruffling his hair playfully and explaing, "Just joking!" It was evident that underneath the teasing, the two were good friends. Kate hoped that she could become friends with them too.

Focusing her attention back on Kate, Rhythmi clapped her hands together. "All right, let me take you on a tour of the Ranger School. Let's begin with our own classroom. You've already met our teacher, Ms. April. She's really nice, but if you make her mad… Look out." Her tone turned dark at the end, as if she knew all about it.

"No kidding…" Keith muttered. "She's like my mom!" he exclaimed, much to the amusement of the class. Kate laughed along with them, feeling slightly more accepted into their little community.

"Anyways…There's a nother class next to us. The teacher there is Mr. Kincaid." Rhythmi frowned as she spoke, "He's very uptight and strict. " 'No running in the hallways!' is like, his pet saying." She rolled her eyes at that, before whispering, "But no one listens to him!" Kate nodded with a slight chuckle.

"Hey, look over there." Rhythmi pointed with her finger at something behind Kate, and she turned around to see a floating machine with a blue screen. "That thing is a Save Machine. It keeps track of all your achievements as a here, you can find Save Machines in towns and forests, too. If you spot one, you should check it out."

"Okay. I'll keep that in mind!" Kate responded eagerly, trying to memorize what it looked like.

Rhythmi grinned, and declared, "Okay! Let's move on. We'll explore the School building!"

Kate smiled, and looked around. _Whereto first? Since Kellyn isn't in this class…he must be in Mr. Kincaid's. I guess I'll go and search for him first~ Maybe he'll still recognize me._

* * *

**So...how was that? Please give me your feedback, and I'd love it very much!**_  
_

**Also, this is a very interactive story, so I will be asking for your opinion every now and then to change it for your likings. 3 You'll see what I mean in later chapters.  
**

**Ooohhh~ and hints to future friendships/relationships.**

**I am a Vatonage and Voicemail shipper, if you haven't figured out already. Throughout the next something chapters it's going to seem quite unlikely, but I assure you that the ending will definitely be what I think it is right now. I hope. xD**

**Anyways, stay tuned!  
**


	2. Ch 2- TITLE COMING SOON

**So sorry for the delay! Life stuff came up :/ I'm leaving tomorrow for vacation, so it's not as long as I planned but enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, as well as these original characters. All text in bold are ORIGINAL dialogue from the games. 3 I hope you enjoy my use of them (: but at the same time, I do not own them.  
**

* * *

Kate was about to turn around and head for next door's classroom, but something made her stop. Looking back at the small cluster of students who were still staring at her expectantly, Kate felt like she should get familiar with her classmates first. She was going to be with them for 90% of her time anyways, so why not get acquainted? Plus, they seemed friendly enough.

Focusing her gaze on a female student, Kate smiled shyly and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kate as you have already heard. What's your name?"

"I'm Rose," the girl replied with a big grin, shaking Kate's hand vigorously. Kate was slightly taken aback, and could only blush and nod as the girl went on, "**Is it true that you came to the Almia region by yourself? That's impressive!**"

"Thank you," Kate murmured in an embarrassed fashion, before turning hurriedly to another classmate who tapped her on the shoulder. It was a boy this time. Thank Arceus for his interruption…Kate didn't really know what to say to the girl who complimented her. Snapping to attention at a second prod, Kate waited for the boy to say something.

"Hey! I'm Darren. **Before your entrance exam, did Mr. Kaplan put on a goofy act?**" he inquired, with a glint in his eye.

Kate nodded, and exclaimed, "Yeah! I got confused…and thought I wasn't supposed to be here at all for a moment. Phew, I'm glad I came to the right place."

Darren patted her shoulder in a friendly way, before responding, "Don't worry. He did that to all of us! I'm sure we were all scared for a second." Kate giggled slightly at that statement, and nodded. She could definitely imagine Mr. Kaplan telling that same story to every student who came to take the exam.

However, before she could reply, someone else entered the conversation.

"Hey! I wasn't scared! I'm not scared of anything!" it was Keith this time. Arms crossed over his chest and amber eyes glinting with mischief, his gaze lingered on Kate as he teased, "But seeing the pale little thing you are, you must've been terrified!"

Kate shrank back, not really knowing what to say. "Um…right…" she stammered, feeling somewhat guilty. "That was rather foolish of me." She chuckled nervously, hoping to lessen the impact of those words.

Sensing that this conversation wasn't going right, Rhythmi scowled, and shoved Keith away in a rough but light manner. "Stop that, Evans! You're scaring her. She's only been here for a day, jeez." Turning back to Kate, Rhythmi smiled reassuringly and said, "Don't mind him. He's always like that, making fun of anyone and anything." Rolling her eyes, the blonde girl tossed another dirty glare at Keith, who just stood there at a loss of words.

Kate smiled back at the blonde girl, grateful for her actions. After murmuring a quick thank you, she turned her attention on her last classmate, a girl who seemed much like herself, really. Kate introduced herself briefly. "Could you tell me a little about our school?" she inquired, eager to gain a sneak peek at what she's about to explore.

The girl, named Eva, nodded and paused for a moment to think, before replying, "Well, **our School's quite liberal and relaxed. You should check out our Library and the Staff Room.** They're pretty cool, in my opinion." Smiling, she lowered her voice and whispered in Kate's ear, "Don't worry about where to go or where not to go. Ms. April and the rest of us will cover for you if something happens!" the girl giggled, and her statements made Kate feel much more comfortable.

Then, Kate noticed an interesting fact: for some reason Rhythmi was nodding vigorously at the sound of the word Library. "Yeah! Let's go to the Library, Kate! It's…" Rhythmi trailed off awkwardly, before regaining enough poise to finish with, "It's…fantastic! Like, the books are just…great." She laughed a little, as if to cover up her embarrassment.

Kate nodded to her, and agreed, "Sure. We can head over there before going to the Staff Room, if you'd like."

"No, no…take your time…" was all Rhythmi mumbled, her face now flushed a deep crimson. The rest of the class just chuckled amongst themselves, as if there was a common secret that they all knew about. Keith especially, since he was wagging his eyebrows at the blonde girl, who slapped him promptly. That caused him to shut up and turn away, in order to tend to his right cheek which was now slightly swollen.

Smiling, Kate thanked all her classmates for their input and bid goodbye to them for the time being. "I'll be back in a while!" she promised as she started to head out with Rhythmi.

However, just as they were about to step through the threshold, Kate heard Keith's voice call out loudly behind her, "**You know, if a Top Ranger were to see me do a capture, they'd be in awe!**"

Kate simply turned around, and smiled at him encouragingly. "That's cool! I hope you become a great ranger!" she said, before turning around and disappearing through the doorway.

Rhythmi followed after Kate after a last glance at Keith, her blush gone and instead replaced with a small frown, as if she was pondering upon something important.

"Kate, can I tell you something?" Rhythmi asked the brunette in a low voice. They were in the hallways now, so technically nobody should hear them, but the space around them was so empty and their voices and footsteps to vibrate off the walls, so Rhythmi lowering her voice to a near whisper was natural.

Kate stopped midstep, turning around to face her new friend with a questioning face. "Sure, what is it?" she asked.

Rhythmi cleared her throat awkwardly, before muttering, "**I shouldn't say this too loudly, but…I think Keith sees you as a serious rival**." Her gaze was serious, and for once she didn't look like the cheerful bright girl that seemed to be so confident about everything. Instead, she looked rather worried.

Kate was only more confused. _Why did Rhythmi worry so much about Keith and his ambitions anyways? _"That's okay…I guess he can think what he wants. It would be nice if I could get to know him a little better, though. That way we can learn new things together!" Her facial expression turned thoughtful.

"Er…never mind what I said," Rhythmi shook her head with a sigh. _This girl was helpless._ Eager to change the subject, she asked Kate, "**You lived in the Fiore region before, didn't you? I've never been there.**"

At the mention of her homeland, there was a small smile upon Kate's face. "Ah, yes. Fiore is quite beautiful, in a different way than Almia is. I lived in a place named Summerland before I came, and over there it was always sunny and bright, like summertime. I guess the place's name wasn't a coincidence, then." She chuckled slightly at that. "To tell you the truth I'm a little homesick…but I definitely don't regret moving here!" she added hastily, almost afraid that Rhythmi would interrupt her.

The blonde nodded, her eyes softening at the girl smiling bravely in front of her. She appeared so modest, yet so cheerful with inner courage. It was quite heartening, and Rhythmi quickly found herself more than a little surprised at Kate. After all, who wanted to be friends with a bossy know-it-all with a loud voice like Rhythmi? The blonde admired Kate for putting up with her and her attitude.

"Um…Rhythmi?" Kate's voice distracted Rhythmi from her thoughts. The brunette looked a little nervous.

"What is it, Kate?" Rhythmi asked. "Anything wrong?"

Kate shook her head. "No, not really. I was just wondering..um…is it okay if we visit Mr. Kincaid's room first? I know you wanted to go to the Library but…"

Rhythmi burst into a fit of laughter. "You were guilty over that?! Don't worry, Kate! It's your tour, so you can choose wherever you want to go." Smiling reassuringly, she continued, "Plus, I go to the Library everyday so-" she cut off abruptly, a hand flying to her mouth in horror. _What did I just admit?!_

Luckily, Kate didn't seem to get it. "Well, okay. Thanks Rhythmi!" she grinned, before starting to run towards Mr. Kincaid's room. "Come on!" she called back to Rhythmi after a few steps, waiting for the blonde to follow.

"Go on ahead! I'll follow you." Rhythmi waved a hand dismissively, before briskly walking after the girl's jogging gait.

The door let out a resonating _CREAKKK_ as it opened. Kate winced at the sound, hoping vainly that Mr. Kincaid wouldn't mind too much about the interruption. Of course, it was quite inevitable, but she didn't want to annoy him anyways.

Stepping in, she motioned for Rhythmi to follow so she wouldn't be the only person standing awkwardly in the doorway. Kate stole a quick glance at the class, and immediately wished she hadn't done so; her face flushed pink as she realized that everyone was now staring at her and Rhythmi.

Luckily, the blonde came to the rescue with her confident voice. "**Sorry to disturb you!**" Rhythmi quickly apologized. "**I'm taking our new classmate on a tour of the School**, and we wanted to stop by your room really quickly." She explained to the blonde man up in front, who must've been Kincaid. He was a well-dressed man, with hair slicked back with a lot of hair gel. He looked a little peeved, but seemed to shrug it off.

Rhythmi then turned to Kate and gestured around. "**This is the other class. The man looking this way is Mr. Kincaid.**" She aimed a glance towards him and jerked her chin towards his direction slightly. Kate followed her gaze, but kept on listening as she continued, in a lower voice this time, "**He gets his hair to go that way with a ton of hair spray. He's a little too uptight, I think. I'm not a big fan.**"

Kate had to resist a giggle at that, and couldn't help but observe the teacher with a curious gaze. He looked…okay. Quite normal, aside from his abnormally rigid and shiny hair.

Just then, the teacher cleared his throat, and Kate's gaze immediately dropped to the floor in embarrassment. However, she kept her ears tuned in to his next words, which were, "**You must be the new student in the other class. There's one rule that I would like you to honor and uphold while you're in School. Don't run in the hallways. Oh, there is another rule: don't cast suspicion on others without proof. These two rules are truly important.**" He nodded to himself at those last statements, and stroked his chin thoughtfully. Some of his students made a few faces when their backs were to him, but most of them simply looked passive.

"I'll try to uphold them!" Kate promised to Mr. Kincaid. He seemed like a strict man, with upright poise and a stern expression. Kate was secretly glad that she had Ms. April as a teacher instead, but felt bad for her judgments. _Maybe he's just in a bad mood today, or something. He can't be all that bad._

The blonde man nodded approvingly. "Well, okay. Anyways, you may go around and talk to my students for a little while. They will be your friends for the next months or so, so please feel free to socialize."

Kate needed no further persuasion. She was already halfway across the room, striding quickly towards the one familiar face she knew in the entire school with the brightest smile she's had in a few days.

"Kellyn! Remember me?"

The boy with spiky brown hair turned to look at her with near identical blue eyes, except for the fact they were filled with confusion. "Um, excuse me? Do I know you?" he scratched his head thoughtfully, "Hmm….on second thought, we do look kind of alike."

Kate was taken aback. _Oh no! Did I get the wrong person?! _"Oh shoot…I, uh," she stuttered, "Aw shoot. I'm really sorry! What is your name?" she frowned, and put her hands together, bowing a little in apology.

"I'm Marcus," the boy answered, still looking skeptical. "Hmm…I don't really know who you're talking about…but I do know a Kellyn. He's the one up there." He pointed up…which happened to be right at Mr. Kincaid.

"WHAT?!" Kate exclaimed, almost tripping over her feet out of shock. "He's...what?!" she was more confused than ever, and she felt like something wasn't right here. "Erm.." she looked back and forth between Kincaid and Marcus, not sure of who to call what. Kellyn and her had played together as children…and she had sworn that he had brown hair like hers.

Just then, "Marcus" started to laugh uncontrollably. "Oh Kate! Gullible as ever…guess you need a photo of me in your wallet all the time so you don't forget my face!" he guffawed, one hand holding his stomach.

Kate gasped, before flushing a deep red. "Kellyn, you're so mean! Oh gosh…I swear I did not just fall for that." She scowled, swatting at her cousin playfully while stifling a giggle.

Kellyn only chuckled, before ruffling her hair playfully. "It's okay, little Cuz. That's what makes you adorable."

"You sound like a grandpa praising his granddaughter!"

"I'm not that old!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

After a few attempts to continue the debate, Kate and Kellyn gave up on talking and simply resorted to clutching each other and laughing. "Oh, by the way. **The student on my right, Isaac, is studying in the Library. You can sit down if you'd like.**" Kellyn managed to choke out after trying to calm himself.

Kate slid into the empty seat beside Kellyn, still giggling, and the two started to chat in a more subdued manner. Kate appeared to drop the carefree look after a few exchanges of words, and a small frown came across her features. Kellyn, on the other hand, looked sympathetic as he tried to comfort her.

All this Rhythmi watched awkwardly as she lingered next to a wall, feeling torn. She really wanted to get a move on…because she knew that she had to get to showing Kate everything before sunset. _You just want to see Isaac in the library, _a small voice in Rhythmi's head accused, which caused the girl to blush in both guilt and embarrassment. _Duty comes before him, _she chided.

On another hand, Rhythmi felt kind of weird just standing like this off to the side. She felt bad, not knowing what to comfort Kate with whatever the girl was feeling down about. However, her friend obviously seemed to know Kellyn well, and Rhythmi didn't want to interrupt them.

Speaking of Kellyn…Rhythmi always got a funny feeling in her chest whenever she saw him. She wasn't really sure what it was, though…quite frankly she didn't even know him too well. Kellyn was always the nice and cool kid spoken about, always friendly to everyone, but Rhythmi just never gained the courage to ask him to be her friend. _…meh…he's not even my type._ Rhythmi thought angrily to herself, before shaking off her confused feelings. _I like Isaac, the type of boy who would never hurt anyone. Unlike...  
_

Without finishing her thought, Rhythmi strode up to Kate and Kellyn, who were still chatting. However, they stopped at the sight of her. The blonde stiffly brought on a smile and said, "Hey Kate! I know you're talking to your friend…but maybe **you should get to know the others too. Don't be shy!**"

A pang of guilt struck Kate. "Oh, I'm so sorry Rhythmi! I was too busy talking, and I must have completely neglected you. Maybe you could introduce me to some classmates, and then we'll head to the Library like you suggested earlier?" she muttered a quick apology to Kellyn, before rushing to stand up.

Kellyn looked at Rhythmi, and waved to her with a friendly grin. "Hi, Rhythmi! How are you doing?" _Oh Arceus…that sounded so stupid! _He fought back an urge to grimace, because he wasn't even supposed to know her name. She was quite pretty, though…and despite her reputation as a loudmouth and bossy attitude…she seemed nice too.

"Er..hi, Kellyn. I'm doing good, but um, if you'll excuse us now." Rhythmi replied with a curt tone, a tint of pink on her cheeks. Turning around, she cleared her throat and said, "Kate, let's go."

She was, unfortunately, met with silence. "Um, Kate? Kate?!" Rhythmi called again, her back still to Kellyn who was just looking at her with confusion.

"Kate!" Rhythmi cried in relief, before striding over to the other side of the classroom to stand beside her friend, who was talking to another student. At the same time, she desperately hoped that Kellyn wouldn't say anything mean for her stupid mistake...which he didn't. In fact, Rhythmi spotted him still sitting in his seat, chatting away with another girl. Rhythmi stifled an irritated growl, before turning away back to Kate.

The student was named Kevin, who was whispering to Kate urgently, "Hey, **beware of Ms. April. She's got a temper!** Once I was eating my birthday cupcake innocently in the hallways, but then I wasn't looking where I was going and rammed right into her, getting my cupcake all over her shirt! Gosh, you should've seen her face when she gave me detention for a week. My poor cupcake…it was the worst birthday ever." he shook his head sadly, turning away from Kate and Rhythmi with a sniffle.

"Umm…I'm sure that Ms. April was just angry that you ruined her shirt. Plus, you can always get another birthday cupcake!" Kate tried to comfort Kevin, who was now almost sobbing.

"Oh…thank you. Thanks!" the boy gave a small smile, before nudging Kate slightly. "I think you should go and visit some more places now, instead of listening to me whine about a cupcake. Hope you have fun!"

Kate gave Kevin a thumbs-up, and thanked everyone before turning around and clasping Rhythmi's hand in hers. "Okay, Rhythmi. Let's go to the Library next!"

* * *

"**This is the Library, also known as Keith's nap room.**" Rhythmi explained with a snigger. "I just don't understand how the boy can be a great Ranger when all he does is eat and sleep…but I digress." She cleared her throat nervously, before continuing, "**That boy in the back with a haircut like a mushroom is Isaac. He's awesomely smart. You can usually find him right here in the Library. Sometimes, he goes off somewhere, though.**" Rhythmi's face was flushed slightly pink by the end of her mini speech, but Kate didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, cool! Is it okay if we go and talk to everyone around?" Kate asked as she gazed around at all the dust-covered bookshelves and the few students occupying the chairs. The boy named Isaac was standing with his back to the girls, next to the shelves in the very back.

"Sure, but do use a low voice, since this is a Library after all." Rhythmi replied with a smile.

Kate simply nodded, before starting to head through the aisles of shelves. However, she accidentally tripped, and stumbled, banging her hand on a corner of the shelf. Kate uttered a small cry of pain.

"**Shh. Not so loud in the Library, please.**" A girl reminded Kate, who nodded and muttered a small apology before continuing. There were books on everything – from Rangers to Operators to Stylers to the geography of Almia. Kate was fascinated, and promised herself to check back here often. Once, Kate saw an open book, and out of mere curiosity she went over to look at it. It was titled Almia's Forgotten Words, and as she blew away the dust on the yellowed pages, it showed a brief exerpt:

**_Vatonage, the act of rekindling light that has been swallowed by darkness. It is an act of restoring harmony._**

For some strange reason, Kate felt a strange chill creep down her spine as she read the few lines. _Vatonage…_ she thought to herself, before shaking her head and continuing her explorations.

Just then, Kate spotted a boy with green hair who was pacing awkwardly around in a corner, looking torn and confused about something. Deciding to approach him, Kate introduced herself and asked him what was wrong.

"**Do you think I'd make a good Ranger?**" the boy immediately looked up at her with wide, confused eyes. "**I don't think I'm cut out for it. That's what I've been thinking. I'm Ponte, by the way. They call me the conflicted marshmallow boy.**" He sighed, before sitting down with a plop on a stool. "I really wish that I knew what my dreams were, like everybody else. What's your dream?"

"I want to be a Ranger," Kate answered with a smile. "They're heroes to citizens and Pokemon alike, and I admire them. I hope to be one too someday, and help others in need," She explained.

Ponte grinned sheepishly at her. "Well, that's a great dream you have there. Maybe I'll find my own someday. Good luck with your dream!"

Kate thanked him with a thumbs-up, before continuing her way down the Library.

As Kate approached the very back of the room, she saw a blonde boy with a mushroom cut facing the shelves, appearing in deep thought. Kate tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped slightly, before turning to look at her with a dazed look.

"**I was doing an eight-digit multiplication in my head when you interrupted me.** I'll have to start calculating from the top…" the boy groaned, before adding hastily, "**It's nothing, though.**" He reassured Kate, when she opened her mouth to apologize.

The boy smiled, before introducing himself, "**I'm Isaac. Both my IQ and my height, in centimeters, are 163. I'm studying to become a scientist. Mr. Kincaid gave me permission to study on my own and not attend class.**"

"Oh, cool! I'm Kate, and I'm a new student here. It's great to meet you!" Kate smiled, and held out her hand to shake."

Isaac shook her hand, and suggested quietly, gesturing at all the books around him, "**You should get into reading too. Or at least make an effort to look at what books are here.** I find them fascinating, and I can learn a lot from them."

"Oh, yes! Books are great!" another voice interrupted.

Kate whirled around, only to see Rhythmi. Oh, Arceus, she had been so absorbed in the books and things that she completely forgot that her friend was next to her! "Rhythmi, is this the Isaac you were telling me about?" Kate asked her friend, who was now blushing furiously.

"Oh! Uhh…yes. Yes, that's him. Isaac, the smartest student I know." Rhythmi grinned, before waving enthusiastically to the blonde boy, who offered her an uncertain smile back.

"Er…hi, Rhythmi. Shouldn't you be in class right now?" he inquired curiously, cocking his head to one side.

Rhythmi shook her head, and linked arms with Kate. "Nope! I'm like Kate's tour guide and shadow, here to lead her around but at the same time let her explore on her own! Isn't that cool?" her grins were wider now, and her voice sounded a little high-pitched, as if she was nervous.

Isaac only smiled in return. "Great. Have fun, and don't forget to stop by the Library if you have time!"

Kate took this as a sign that she should probably leave now, and she turned to go, but Rhythmi was still rooted to her spot. The blonde was babbling and giggling about random things now, while Isaac just looked awkward.

"Um, Rhythmi?" Kate whispered in her friend's ear, "I think we should go now." she also nudged the blonde slightly as another prompter.

Her friend jolted awake as if she was in a trance before at Kate's words. "Why, uh, yes! Let's go now. We still have other places to go. Well, bye, Isaac!" she grinned enthusiastically, and waved before flouncing away with a new spring in her step, dragging a confused Kate with her. Isaac just stared after them, before shaking his head and turning back to the bookshelves.

* * *

**Rate/Comment/Whatever! Thank you~**


	3. Author's Message

**Note: My computer won't let me change the name of chapter 2 :/ but it will be known as School Tour Part 1, if you guys want to know. (: Sorry~**

* * *

Hello, guys~ Rainii here.

I just wanted to explain to you fully about exactly what this story is, as well as what to anticipate from me. I know that I haven't been very clear in the first 2 chapters, because I was still a noob (still am) on fanfiction and I was confused about everything. The character limit on the story description didn't help either. XD So, I will make everything clear now, before I post the next chapters. If you have any questions, please review and I will either answer them on PM or put it in the beginning of chapter 3.

Anyways, onto the plotline.

This story will stick as closely as possible to the original storyline. I've read quite a few of these fanfictions before I got the idea to write my own, and some of them have really weird information o.O or they're very brief and don't focus on the "Ranger" aspect of the story. This fanfiction that I'm writing will include all the important events, as much of the exact dialogue as possible, as well as accurate information about these characters. For example, Rhythmi will not be a brunette, and Keith will not have green eyes.

_Interesting fact: Kate's birthday is indeed December 1__st__ on Bulbapedia…and it will play a role in the finishing chapters. :3_

I understand that keeping original dialogue as plagiarizing, though, so I will be paraphrasing / deleting dialogue as necessary (don't forget the disclaimers!) In addition, I will be bolding all original dialogue from now on (this will mean that I need to go back and fix the previous chapters) and putting them in the disclaimers.

This story also has its own shippings, and the characterizations are all mine. Bossy yet kind Rhythmi, hot-headed and competitive Keith, mischievous but laid-back Kellyn, cheerful but insecure Kate…etc. I will also be adding chapters completely unrelated to the plot, just for fun and fluff. For example, I'm thinking about a Christmas Party one, when they're still Ranger/Operator students. 3 They will be marked with an asterisk, or some kind of thing that makes them different from the other chapters.

Also, I need to emphasize that each chapter is a PART, and not a simple small chapter, of the plotline. In fact, each is a MAJOR part of the plotline. For example, the 1st chapter was all introductions. The 2nd chapter was supposed to be the School Tour, but I screwed up and now I gotta fix it with the 3rd chapter. The 4th chapter will be the night out for Kate as she collects Stylers with Keith, and so on. They will probably be very long, as the game is complicated and I want things to get down to the very last detail.

Now, for the updates. I will try and keep them regular…but because I want to stick to the plotline, it will be difficult as some chapters are very, very long. You can see that I misjudged the length from Chapter 2…I was supposed to finish the School Tour part, but I didn't because vacation came up. -.- From now on, that will not be happening. I would rather take months to update and have all my chapters complete than to post itty bitty things every day.

I guess I will give you a rough guideline here: If I do not update within the first month + 1-2 weeks, I am probably kind of busy and it is going to take a bit. Real life is getting to be a pain since my parents are constantly mad at me…so please give me a grain of salt here. I will try try try to get chapters done within a month, the extra 2 weeks are just extra time for me since I want these chapters to be good quality and I will probably be spending some time proofreading and revising them. 3

Please Review with any questions, and I will try my best to answer them~

Best wishes,

Rainii (:


End file.
